Couch

Paul Thomas Anderson's "Couch" is a fairly good example of how a dolly and a film camera don't always make a good film. However, it is an interesting short to watch, just in terms of where it fits in his filmography, especially so soon after "Punch-Drunk Love".

If people found it harder to pinpoint the sources of Anderson's inspiration in "Punch-Drunk Love", "Couch" provides an answer of sorts.

It's funny, and I laughed, but only the first time.

But you also have to remember that this film isn't meant to be reviewed, nor even taken seriously. It's a dumb short, and shame on me for treating it otherwise. See it, enjoy it, don't expect much more from it.

Done and done.

The two minute "Couch" (2003) starring Adam Sandler is perfect in it's simplicity in the same way that the Lumiere Brother's twenty second "A Sprinkler Sprinkled" (1895) is. Basically, a man (Sandler) searches a furniture store for the perfect couch. The search ends with a presumably perfect couch, a Lay-Z-Boy, which the man seems very comfortable in...until the films punchline.

You can see this pleasant little short at adamsandler.com, so I won't spoil the punchline. But it's short and sweet and free, so why wouldn't you check it out? Adam Sandler plays the part of "the man" very much like Chaplin's Tramp--with just a bit of Waterboy thrown in. And in a way, that's what this little film is: a throwback to those perfect little silent comedy shorts of the first twenty years of cinema.

Being a huge advocate of PTA, I hunted for this video forever. Eventually I found it. So I saw it and, well, aaah--didn't really like it. Sandler walks into a furniture store and in an attempt to find the perfect sofa, his legs end up over his shoulders--go figure. So its funny in one way--Sandler's mullet.

This film is only 2 minutes long. Unfortunately, it's not even worth those two minutes. Adam Sandler sees a couch in a store. He walks in and sits on it. It falls over. He gets up and sits on a reclining. It folds up on him. Amazingly, that's the whole movie. Nothing really funny about it at all.

For what it is, a silly 2 1/2 minute skit starring Adam Sandler, I thought this was great. The opening shot is particually PT Anderson, but the rest is just down right stupid humour. The ending particually cracked me up, although I honestly don't get what the hell happened (and I don't think I'm supposed to). This is simply just PTA and Sandler screwing around with a free set after filming PDL, so I doubt any real thought went into this, so please don't expect "Magnolia" or "Boogie Nights" or anything, just expect a stupid, retard Sandler style short that will leave you confussed, laughing, and saying out loud "What the F***?".